Closure fastener

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a door check or closure fastener which is operable to retain a door positively in open position in a primary locking position and upon further opening of the door operable to automatically release the closure fastener to permit closing of the door, all of the above operations being accomplished without manual intervention with the closure fastener other than manually opening and closing of the door.

United States Patent DeFazio 1 June 13, 1972 CLOSURE FASTENER [72] Inventor: Dominick J. DeFazio, 8022 Glenwood Avenue, Youngstown, Ohio 44512 [22] Filed: May 15, 1969 [21] Appl.No.: 824,956

[52] US. Cl ..292/80, 292/76 [51] Int. Cl. [58] Field of Search ..292/76, 8O, 17, 19-20,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,872,232 2/1959 Lawson ..292/80 2,914,792 12/1959 Campbell, Jr ..16/82 3 ,O64,851 1 H1962 Guigli ..220/18 3,131,958 5/1964 Dunckel ..292/99 Primary Examiner-Marvin A. Champion Assistant Examiner-Robert L. Wolfe Attorney-Gera1d R. Hershberger ABSTRACT This invention relates to a door check or closure fastener which is operable to retain a door positively in open position in a primary locking position and upon further opening of the door operable to automatically release the closure fastener to pennit closing of the door, all of the above operations being accomplished without manual intervention with the closure fastener other than manually opening and closing of the door.

2 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUH 1 a 1912 3, 669 ,482

sum 1 or z INVE NTOR ATTORNEY 7 I z n Will I! a l? a" PATENTEDJUN 13 m2 SHEET 2 BF 2 amwem J. mpg/0 mvsmoa I] 1' ll H1 23 ATTORNEY CLOSURE FASTENER This invention relates to closure fasteners and more particularly to a double acting spring arm style door check by which a door may be positively but releasably retained in an open position.

A considerable number and variety of closure fasteners or door checks have been known and used in the past, however, these have, in most cases, had a positive retaining action on the door, or have been of complicated structure, comprised of many parts, and expensive of manufacture.

It is therefore one of the primary objects of this invention to provide a unique closure fastener of simple construction, with a minimum of movable parts which have positive, fool proof operation.

Another object of this my invention, is to provide a door check or closure fastener of simple two-piece construction which is operable to retain a door positively in open position by opening the closure member to engage the closure fastener in a primary positive locking position, and by further opening the door or closure member to release the closure fastener whereby the closure member may be closed.

A further object of my invention is to provide a closure fastener of two-piece construction, each piece of which may be stamped out of a single piece of sheet metal which is economical to manufacture.

Other and further objects of this, my invention, will become apparent as a description of the presently preferred examples of the invention are given for the purpose of disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan sectional view showing the device installed on a door and associated wall.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the closure fastener or door check with the fastener in operating condition immediately prior to engagement of the retaining portion thereof.

FIG. 3 is an elevational side view showing the fastener engaged in positive door retaining position taken along lines 3- 3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a plan view along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an elevational side view showing the fastener elements moved together preparatory to releasing the door or closure member.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view showing the closure fastener partially in opened position.

FIG. 7 is an elevational view showing the closure fastener at the instant of release.

FIG. 8 is an elevational view showing the released fastener members and the clearance of the positive releaser portion at the instant of release thereof.

FIG. 9 is a plan view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 7 to further disclose the relationship of the fastener members.

Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, the device is denoted generally by the numeral 10, and shown as including a first closure fastener member and constructed of a one-piece strip of horizontal flat sheet metal having a substantially right-angle, down-tumed flange 12 for mounting to a door or other closure, or to a wall 13, by means of a screw 14, through a hole 15 in said flange. A generally horizontally flat cantilevered elongated intermediate portion 16 extends rearwardly from said flange 12 a substantial distance and the free end 17 thereof is arcuately bent upwardly and forwardly about the horizontal axis thereof in the shape of an annular hook or half-circle portion 19. A second closure fastener member is mounted on the opposite closure member or door or wall 21, and is likewise of one-piece construction, and is provided with a hook-like portion 22 which is bent arcuately downwardly and rearwardly into semicircular outline, similar in size and shape to half-circle portion 19, with the axis 23 thereof placed in offset manner slightly above the axis 18 of said half-circle portion 19, so that when the hook-like portion 22 and the half-circle portion 19 are horizontally moved together, the half-circle portion annular wall 19a will be wedged underneath said hook-like portion annular wall 23 and when the transverse edge 24 of said half-circle portion annular wall passes transverse edge 25 of said hook-like portion annular wall, said half-circle portion will spring upwardly and said hook-like portion and said half-circle portion will interlock and the closure member or door cannot be then opened by moving the door in a closing direction at that position or stage 26 of operation. The second closure member is further provided with an elongated strip portion 27 extending rearwardly substantially horizontal manner from said hook-like portion 22 to a base portion 28 which is provided with an integral flange portion 29 reversely bent downwardly for securing said second closure fastener member 20 to a related door or wall 21 by a screw or screws 30 through an associated opening 30a in said flange 29.

The closure fastener disengaging portion 31 further includes a vertical cantilevered wall 32 extending forwardly from said base portion having an inwardly turned laterally inclined shelf wall portion 33, said shelf portion extending upwardly and to the rear in the outline of an inclined plane.

The first closure fastener member is further provided with a flat horizontal ear 35 adjacent the half-circle portion 19 turned inwardly and arranged and adapted to overlap said inclined plane to disengage said closure fastener members. When said closure fastener members are moved to an overlapping position 36, the ear 35 slides on said inclined shelf on the upper wall 37 thereof, until said ear passes rearwardly of rearward edge 38 of said inclined shelf when the resiliency of the said fastener members causes said ear to fall below said shelf edge 38. Reverse movement of the fastener members causes said ear to engage the lower wall 39 of said inclined shelf at said shelf edge 38, and the first closure member halfcircular portion is carried downwardly as shown in FIG. 6 and 7 until said ear clears the forward leading edge 40 of said inclined shelf and the resiliency of said first member causes said half-circular portion to move upwardly. The forward leading edge 40 of said inclined shelf portion is located in predetermined disengaging relationship with said ear to cause the hook-like edge 25 and the half-circular portion edge 24 to miss engagement with each other, and the hook-like portion annular wall 23 and half-circular portion annular wall 19a engaging eachother in frictional manner only as in the first stage,

and said first closure fastener member and second closure fastener member are thusly disengaged from eachother as shown in FIG. 8, and the closure member or door may be closed. Interference is designed between the upper portion 41 of said half-circular portion 19 and said second closure fastener member strip portion 27 to provide appreciable resistance to movement of said ear past shelf edge 38 to prevent the door from being too easily opened, such as by the wind, further, the over all inside length of the second closure fastener is substantially shorter than the overall inside length of the first closure fastener member. The shelf edge 38 is spaced forwardly a substantial distance from said base portion to allow the forward edge 42 of said ear portion to clear said edge 38 with the half-circle portion under said strip portion 27. The inward edge 43 of said ear portion terminates inwardly of said vertical wall 32 to provide clearance when said ear portion passes under said shelf or ledge portion 33. The inclined shelf or ledge is generally of elongated, narrow, rectangular outline with its short sides being represented by forward edge 40 and rearward edge 38 and its larger sides by outside supported edge 44 and inside unsupported edge 45.

It is further understood that minor variation from the forms of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of my invention, and that the specification and drawings are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim:

1. In a closure fastener for a closure having at least two mounting surfaces, one of which is movable, the combination of, a first'closure fastener member including, a cantilevered spring arm portion having a closure mounting portion extending from said am portion for securing said first closure fastener member to a mounting surface portion of a closure, a first annular hook-like portion extending rearwardly from said arm portion reversely bent upwardly and forwardly, a laterally disposed ear portion mounted on said first closure fastener member adjacent said first hook-like portion for moving said hook-like portion;

a second closure fastener member having a second annular hook-like portion reversely bent downwardly and forwardly, an elongated cantilevered arm portion extending rearwardly from said second hook-like portion, and a base portion extending from said second closure fastener member arm portion for mounting to another mounting surface of said closure to position said second closure fastener member in operative relationship with said first closure fastener member, and a laterally disposed ledge portion inclined upwardly and rearwardly fixedly mounted adjacent said second closure fastener hook portion, said first hook portion and said second hook portion operable to positively interlock with each other when said first closure fastener member and second closure fastener member are moved together into interlocking position to hold the closure open, said inclined ledge portion operable, upon continued movement of said closure fastener members together to guide said ear portion downwardly on an incline to prevent said first closure member hook portion and said second closure member hook portion from interlocking at said interlocking position when said closure fastener members are separated, to allow closing of the closure.

2. In a closure fastener for a closure having at least two mounting surfaces, one of which is movable, the combination of;

a first closure fastener member including a cantilevered spring arm portion mounted on one of said surfaces, a latch portion carried at the free end of said arm, and a laterally mounted follower portion disposed adjacent to said latch element;

a second fastener member mounted on the other closure surface including an elongated cantilevered arm portion extending towards said first closure member cantilevered arm, a catch portion carried at the free end of said second closure member cantilevered arm including a positive locking element associated with said catch, and a laterally disposed double acting cam carried by said other closure surface for cooperation with said follower portion;

said first closure member latch portion operable to engage said second closure member catch portion locking element, when said closure mounting surfaces are moved together, in positive locked relationship to each other, in closure check position, said follower portion operable, upon further movement of said closure surfaces towards each other, to engage said cam and dislocate said latch portion with respect to said catch portion, and upon movement of said surfaces away from each other, to reversely engage said cam and disengage said latch and said catch so that said closure surfaces may be closed. 

1. In a closure fastener for a closure having at least two mounting surfaces, one of which is movable, the combination of, a first closure fastener member including, a cantilevered spring arm portion having a closure mounting portion extending from said arm portion for securing said first closure fastener member to a mounting surface portion of a closure, a first annular hook-like portion extending rearwardly from said arm portion reversely bent upwardly and forwardly, a laterally disposed ear portion mounted on said first closure fastener member adjacent said first hooklike portion for moving said hook-like portion; a second closure fastener member having a second annular hooklike portion reversely bent downwardly and forwardly, an elongated cantilevered arm portion extending rearwardly from said second hook-like portion, and a base portion extending from said second closure fastener member arm portion for mounting to another mounting surface of said closure to position said second closure fastener member in operative relationship with said first closure fastener member, and a laterally disposed ledge portion inclined upwardly and rearwardly fixedly mounted adjacent said second closure fastener hook portion, said first hook portion and said second hook portion operable to positively interlock with each other when said first closure fastener member and second closure fastener member are moved together into interlocking position to hold the closure open, said inclined ledge portion operable, upon continued movement of said closure fastener members together to guide said ear portion downwardly on an incline to prevent said first closure member hook portion and said second closure member hook portion from interlocking at said interlocking position when said closure fastener members are separated, to allow closing of the closure.
 2. In a closure fastener for a closure having at least two mounting surfaces, one of which is movable, the combination of; a first closure fastener member including a cantilevered spring arm portion mounted on one of said surfaces, a latch portion carried at the free end of said arm, and a laterally mounted follower portion disposed adjacent to said latch element; a second fastener member mounted on the other closure surface including an elongated cantilevered arm portion extending towards said first closure member cantilevered arm, a catch portion carried at the free end of said second closure member cantilevered arm including a positive locking element associated with said catch, and a laterally disposed double acting cam carried by said other closure surface for cooperation with said follower portion; said first closure member latch portion operable to engage said second closure member catch portion locking element, when said closure mounting surfaces are moved together, in positive locked relationship to each other, in closure check position, said follower portion operable, upon further movement of saiD closure surfaces towards each other, to engage said cam and dislocate said latch portion with respect to said catch portion, and upon movement of said surfaces away from each other, to reversely engage said cam and disengage said latch and said catch so that said closure surfaces may be closed. 